On July 7, 2016, the governor or Hawaii signed into law SB 2395 concerning Medicaid coverage for telehealth services. The law stipulates that state Medicaid managed care and fee-for-services programs "shall not deny coverage for any service provided through telehealth that would be covered if the service were provided through in-person consultation." The law also establishes payment parity, requiring reimbursement for services furnished via telehealth to be equivalent to reimbursement for "the same services provided via face-to-face contact between a health care provider and a patient." Expanding coverage for telehealth services is particularly important in Hawaii, where remote island locations can make patient access to physicians a significant challenge. The law goes into effect January 1, 2017.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.